Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains what data TileForge collects, why we collect it, and how it's protected. We try to keep it short and honest.

1. Data We Collect

Account data

• Username — chosen by you, shown on your profile.
• Email address — for sign-in, password reset, and verification.
• Password — stored as a bcrypt hash. We cannot recover it.

Project data

• Project metadata (name, palette, layer settings) stored in our database.
• Pixel data and generated tilesets stored in our object storage provider.

Operational data

• Server logs containing IP address, user agent, and request paths — kept up to 30 days for security and debugging.
• Refresh-token records (hashed) including user agent and IP for the device that requested them — so you can review and revoke sessions.

2. Why We Collect It

• Operate the Service — authenticate you, save your work, render the editor.
• Communicate — send password resets, email verification, and important account notices.
• Billing — if you upgrade, our payment processor needs your email and payment method.
• Security — detect and respond to abuse, account-takeover attempts, and outages.

3. Cookies

We use only essential cookies:

• An httpOnly refresh token cookie that keeps you signed in. It is scoped to the auth endpoints and cannot be read by JavaScript.
• A cookie-consent preference stored in localStorage so we don't show the banner repeatedly.

We do not currently use advertising cookies, analytics scripts, or third-party trackers. If that changes, we will update this section and re-prompt you for consent.

4. Third Parties We Use

We share the minimum data necessary with operational sub-processors:

• Database hosting — MongoDB Atlas (account + project metadata).
• Object storage — S3-compatible provider (pixel and tileset files).
• Email delivery — an SMTP provider for verification and reset emails.
• Application hosting — cloud platform that runs the API and web app.

We do not sell your data. We will not share it with marketing partners.

5. Data Retention

• Active accounts: data is kept as long as the account exists.
• Deleted accounts: projects, pixels, and metadata are removed within 72 hours; backups are purged on a rolling 30-day cycle.
• Server logs: 30 days unless retained longer for an active security investigation.

6. Your Rights

You can:

• Access — your project data is available to you directly in the app at any time.
• Correct — update your username or email from the profile page.
• Delete — permanently remove your account and all data from the profile page.
• Export — export individual projects as PNG + JSON anytime.

If you are in the EU/UK and want to exercise GDPR rights (data portability, objection, restriction), contact us at the address below.

7. Security

Passwords are hashed with bcrypt. Refresh tokens are stored hashed and rotated on every refresh; reuse of a revoked token revokes the entire token family. Transport is HTTPS-only in production. We follow industry best practices but cannot guarantee absolute security — no system can.

8. Children

The Service is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, contact us and we will delete it.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy from time to time. Material changes will be announced in-app or by email. The "Effective" date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision.

10. Contact

For privacy questions or to exercise your rights, contact us at the email address shown in your account settings, or open a support ticket from your dashboard.